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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Rank and Regiment on medal?


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Hello,

I.ve got a WW1 pair named G.WOOLLEY. B.CK. M.M.R.

I belive that it could be Mercantile Marine Reserve. I've not found any information on this branch of the navy and have not seen any other medals with this on. Also the rank I cannot find anything about. Could it be Bank clerk or somthing cook?

I would love to find out about this one. If you could help me that would be great.

All the Best Rowland.

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Hello,

I.ve got a WW1 pair named G.WOOLLEY. B.CK. M.M.R.

I belive that it could be Mercantile Marine Reserve. I've not found any information on this branch of the navy and have not seen any other medals with this on. Also the rank I cannot find anything about. Could it be Bank clerk or somthing cook?

I would love to find out about this one. If you could help me that would be great.

All the Best Rowland.

Hi Bob,

Thats somthing I thought of quite a while ago aswell, as it seems to be the only thing that fits.

But is there such a rank as this?

Many thanks Rowland :)

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  • 8 months later...

After all this time I've got hold of his medal roll which confirms his rank as Boy Cook. This shows entitlement to the British war and victory medal only. Under the colum of how issued or disposed of has an 's' does anyone now what this means? Also in the colum where it names what ship served on it has the number 930127 does anyone now what number this ship relates to?

Thanks

Rowland

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'S', in naval medal rolls, refers to 'Self'; i.e they were posted to and received by him (or family) at his home address.

On some RN lists it will have a ship's name; this is the vessel to which the medals were despatched for subsequent issue to entitled persons.

Richard

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Rowland,

That number refers to a merchant ship. I have a MN service sheet & his ships are all referred to by numbers similar to this one.

There is a research sheet with the paperwork & it indicates that the numbers can be 'translated' from the "Registers of Changes of Masters" - I would assume that would be in the PRO, but I have no idea where.

As other have mentioned B.C. means Boy Cook - this would be a somewhat scarce rating. He would not have been very old - perhaps 14 to 17 yrs of age.

Bryan

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Rowland

I recently used the Merchant Navy records at the National Archives for the first time to research a WW1 Medal Group. The number shown on the M.M.R. Medal Roll turned out not to be the ship number, but to be the 'Dis A.' number. The same Dis A. number also appeared on his Mercantile Marine Medal Card in BT351. The Merchant Marine Research Guides on the N.A. Website explain what these are better than I can. The records in BT348, BT349 and BT350 will identify the ships your man served on, and their numbers, but only from 1919 onwards. You may also find a photograph of him in BT350. (I did!). That's as far as I've explored so far.

I was interested to see that his medal is named to the M.M.R. I was under the mistaken impression that the medals were named to the M.F.A. (Merchant Fleet Auxilary).

Regards

Gavin

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